Author: John Beans

If you use your altimeter in metric mode and have a new generation AltimeterOne Version 2.3 or AltimeterTwo Version 3.8, you should send it to us to be upgraded, because we have found a bug that incorrectly displays metric units in these particular versions. The data is measured and stored correctly in feet, but the results are incorrectly displayed in metric units (meters and meters/sec).

If you have:
    AltimeterOne (Version 2.3)
    AltimeterTwo (Version 3.8)

Send it to us (include your return address):

    Jolly Logic
    Upgrade Department
    231 Daylight Place
    Danville, CA 94526

The upgrade takes about six seconds, and we’ll ship it right back out to you.

The look of AltimeterOne and AltimeterTwo have changed. Here are the main differences between the “classic” versions and the new ones:

Graphic displays, with animation and fonts

More powerful batteries

Standard Micro-B USB connector

Flash storage for 100 flights

Replaceable LCD and battery

There are other, more subtle changes, too. We’ve taken suggestions from you and incorporated them into the products to make them better and more convenient to use. Some of these are things you’ll probably never notice (faster processor, improved filtering algorithms), but others (like more clearly labeled on-screen items) you’ll notice right away.

The new generation of product also serves as the platform for the upcoming AltimeterThree, which introduces Bluetooth wireless, smartphone integration, and social media sharing. (Stayed tuned!)

Jesse Ferrell, who works for Accuweather, strapped an AltimeterOne to his Phantom quadcopter in the field of view of this GoPro camera and captured this flight up to just under 2,000 feet. The quadcopter was actually out of control range, but returned via autopilot to Jesse. Switch to HD resolution to see the real-time altitude display in the video.

Jolly Logic’s founder John Beans discusses the ways that electronics can improve rocketry (including some upcoming products) in this presentation to the National Association of Rocketry’s recent annual convention. His talk includes discussion of wireless tracking, electronic parachute deployment, and integration with Apple and Android mobile devices.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1OgUF-Ky-Os&w=640&h=385]

If you haven’t already noticed, we ship for free within the United States. According to the postal service, shipping via USPS First Class means that your package will arrive within 2-8 days. However, if you live in Northern California, you may get your purchase the next day! So if you need your purchase in a hurry, take a few moments to check out the USPS site before you pay for Priority or Express shipping, because First Class may get it there in the same time.

Interested in being part of the development of new products?

Jolly Logic is looking to expand its beta testing program for upcoming products. Beta testers help by testing new product prototypes in order to help us as we develop the firmware and get the features to work as easily and reliably as we can. Sometimes features are added or removed during beta testing. For instance, when the AltimeterTwo began testing it showed just two results (top speed and altitude). Eight more were added during the program (ejection altitude, flight duration, max and average acceleration, delay times, engine burn time, and descent rate).

Pros

• » Work with cool new products before anyone else
• » Have an impact on how products work

Cons

You can imagine that using a product before it works reliably can be frustrating, but it’s all part of product development. If you think you’d like being part of that, let us know.

Email us at beta@jollylogic.com if you’re interested.

It’s not quite time to release information yet on our next round of products, but we can offer a sneak peek into one of the new components that will be on display (pun intended) when we do.

We love clear, easy-to-read displays, but as our products get more sophisticated and powerful, the displays need to keep up. So we’ve designed a new one.

Here’s what the new family of displays will provide:

1. The ability to show bitmapped fonts and graphics
2. Smooth animation and scrolling and menus
3. Connectors that let you replace a broken display yourself

Here’s what it looks like:

Interested in wringing the most performance possible out of your AltimeterTwo?

Steven Collins has written a step-by-step guide that walks you through both the math and the construction of a special mount that orients the AltimeterTwo at just the right angles to extend its acceleration range to 40 Gs.

So if you think your rocket might be breaking the speed of sound in under a second, you’ll definitely want to check this out.

The article was published by Apogee Components, a Jolly Logic distributor and great source of rocket-related information, in their Peak of Flight newsletter.

Apogee Component’s Peak of Flight Newsletter #293.

Today the New York Times picked the AltimeterTwo as one of its top picks for Father’s Day this year. Very cool! Here’s what they had to say: “ALTIMETERTWO ($70) There is nothing like that the rush of a rocket launch. And now, tiny shockproof sensors can ride along. The size of a thumb drive, the AltimeterTwo, with an LCD display, barometric pressure sensor and a three-axis accelerometer, can capture your rocket’s speed and height. The battery charges from your computer’s USB port. To carry the sensor, Apogee, the rocket’s reseller, recommends the large-finned Dynastar ($42) with a cargo bay large enough for an egg, or a Hot Wheels car.” You can read the entire article here.

*** FOR RELEASE ON MAY 25 ***
Jolly Logic Announces Release of the AltimeterTwo
May 25, 2011 — Danville, CA
Jolly Logic today announced the commercial release of the AltimeterTwo, a small rechargeable barometric and accelerometer-equipped altimeter for model rockets that includes advanced flight analysis features.

In addition to peak altitude, the AltimeterTwo reports:

• ŒŽ‘’“”• ŒŽ‘’“”•ŒŽ‘’“”ŒŽ‘’“”•ŒŽ‘’“”•ŒŽ‘’“”•ŒŽ‘’“”•ŒŽ‘’“”•ŒŽ‘’“”•ŒŽ‘’“”•ŒŽ‘’“» Top speed (in MPH or KPH)
• ŒŽ‘’“”• ŒŽ‘’“”•ŒŽ‘’“”ŒŽ‘’“”•ŒŽ‘’“”•ŒŽ‘’“”•ŒŽ‘’“”•ŒŽ‘’“”•ŒŽ‘’“”•ŒŽ‘’“”•ŒŽ‘’“» Engine burn time
• ŒŽ‘’“”• ŒŽ‘’“”•ŒŽ‘’“”ŒŽ‘’“”•ŒŽ‘’“”•ŒŽ‘’“”•ŒŽ‘’“”•ŒŽ‘’“”•ŒŽ‘’“”•ŒŽ‘’“”•ŒŽ‘’“» Peak and average acceleration under thrust
• ŒŽ‘’“”• ŒŽ‘’“”•ŒŽ‘’“”ŒŽ‘’“”•ŒŽ‘’“”•ŒŽ‘’“”•ŒŽ‘’“”•ŒŽ‘’“”•ŒŽ‘’“”•ŒŽ‘’“”•ŒŽ‘’“» Coast time to apogee
• ŒŽ‘’“”• ŒŽ‘’“”•ŒŽ‘’“”ŒŽ‘’“”•ŒŽ‘’“”•ŒŽ‘’“”•ŒŽ‘’“”•ŒŽ‘’“”•ŒŽ‘’“”•ŒŽ‘’“”•ŒŽ‘’“» Apogee to ejection time
• ŒŽ‘’“”• ŒŽ‘’“”•ŒŽ‘’“”ŒŽ‘’“”•ŒŽ‘’“”•ŒŽ‘’“”•ŒŽ‘’“”•ŒŽ‘’“”•ŒŽ‘’“”•ŒŽ‘’“”•ŒŽ‘’“» Ejection altitude
• ŒŽ‘’“”• ŒŽ‘’“”•ŒŽ‘’“”ŒŽ‘’“”•ŒŽ‘’“”•ŒŽ‘’“”•ŒŽ‘’“”•ŒŽ‘’“”•ŒŽ‘’“”•ŒŽ‘’“”•ŒŽ‘’“» Descent speed (in MPH or KPH)
• ŒŽ‘’“”• ŒŽ‘’“”•ŒŽ‘’“”ŒŽ‘’“”•ŒŽ‘’“”•ŒŽ‘’“”•ŒŽ‘’“”•ŒŽ‘’“”•ŒŽ‘’“”•ŒŽ‘’“”•ŒŽ‘’“» Total flight duration from ignition to landing

All of these statistics can be reviewed on the LCD screen of the AltimeterTwo following each flight, even in bright sunlight. The AltimeterTwo weighs just 6.7 grams (0.24 ounces) and is the same size as the company’s popular AltimeterOne which it released last year.

“One of the key design goals for the AltimeterTwo was to make it convenient to use,” said John Beans, Jolly Logic’s founder. “You can drop it into a payload section, or just clip it to your parachute line. It doesn’t need a lot of babying, and it can be moved from rocket to rocket easily.” The addition of a sophisticated 3-axis accelerometer allows the AltimeterTwo to work in any orientation, with no special mounting requirements, and now provides instant speed measurements for every flight.

The flight statistics provided by the AltimeterTwo can be useful in comparing the effect of different motors, delays, airframe modifications, weight, and parachute recovery equipment. During recent beta testing, advance units were in high demand during the height of this year’s high school science fair season.
For more information, go to www.jollylogic.com. The AltimeterTwo is available now for $69.95, and can be ordered online from www.apogeerockets.com and selected local retailers.

Media contact: John Beans, john@jollylogic.com

¯ ¯ ¯

Todd Treichel is senior engineer for Orbital Technologies Corporation. ORBITEC makes a number of systems and components for real space projects, including propulsion and life-support equipment for space shuttle missions and the international space station.

Todd also works with local high school students to teach them engineering and science, and he used the AltimeterOne on a recent teaching project. The goal of the project was to teach the students about scientific measurements and statistical analysis. For the project, Todd and his students loaded the AltimeterOne into a high altitude pressure chamber and exposed it to varying degrees of vacuum, simulating altitudes all the way from see level to 29,500 feet (the published range of the AltimeterOne).

Into the Vacuum Chamber

The little AltimeterOne looks a little lonely in ORBITEC’s big vacuum chamber. The photos capture one data point taken at 29,420 feet, near the top of AltimeterOne’s service ceiling.

The AltimeterOne in Orbital Technologies’ vacuum chamber

Stellar Results

Todd and his students plotted the readout of the AltimeterOne versus the pressure in the chamber. Using the Standard Atmospheric Model to convert the vacuum chamber pressure to altitude, here’s how the readout of the AltimeterOne compares to the calculated altitude using their measurements.

That shows that the AltimeterOne is really doing a phenomenal job at measuring pressure and calculating altitude!